


Just Keeping My Distance

by TriniJanJan



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Gen, McCall Pack, Pack Family, Pack Feels, Teen Angst, scira - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 15:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7058116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriniJanJan/pseuds/TriniJanJan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's that time of year again, when the McCalls and the Hales gather for their annual bar-b-que. Que lots of pack feels and fun, but Kira notices something odd about her son Rick's behavior with Derek's daughter Talia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Keeping My Distance

It was fourth of July weekend, so the McCall and Hale packs were having their annual joint bar-b-que at the Hale House. What started out as a housewarming party many years ago when Derek finally finished the new Hale House, turned into an annual event for the two families. As they pulled up to the property in two SUVs, Scott reflected on how far they had come and how close the two families were now. Scott rode with Kira in her car along with Mel and his mom, while Rick drove Scott’s car with the boys and Skye, who insisted on going in the car her big brother was driving.

Scott’s SUV barely came to a stop before the twins rushed out and ran up to their Uncle Derek, who was walking down the front steps, probably having heard the vehicles’ approach. After the customary hugs and ruffled hair came the part the twins loved most…roaring at Derek until he roared in response. Kira sighed and hung her head in defeat. No matter how many times she told them not to do that, the twins never missed an opportunity to try and out-roar Derek. One look at Scott told her he was enjoying the male wolf display, that proud papa look on his face again. Which quickly turned into a sheepish smile when he glanced over and found Kira staring at him with a raised eyebrow, before he went to put a stop to all that noise.

Rick got Skye out of her car seat and held her as he walked to greet his godfather. Of course Skye turned it into a three-way hug, with a big smacking kiss for her uncle, causing Derek to laugh. But then the person Skye was most excited to see finally made an appearance, and with that went the collective hearing of all wolves present as Skye squealed out Braeden’s name. Then she wiggled out of Rick’s arms before running full tilt to her aunt, who picked her up and spun her around and around. Yup, Skye absolutely adored Braeden.

“Hey man, how’s it looking?” Scott asked Derek after exchanging greetings.

“Well we’re all set with the grills, and Braeden has got the kitchen set up.” Derek answered distractedly, smiling and watching Braeden kissing and tickling Skye.

“Well we’ll get the stuff out the cars and meet you round back.” Scott responded before marshalling his troops. “Boys, come on. Grab something and help get this stuff round back.”

And with that they all went to backs of the vehicles and starting taking out the stuff they brought, with Rick handing off bags and containers to the twins who made trips. Rick was just turning around with a bag to hand off when he turned and froze, as he found himself face to face with Talia Hale.

“Hey Rick.” Talia said softly with a smirk on her face.

Rick stared at those big green eyes a little before finally answering, “Hey.”

“You need help with that?” Talia asked innocently, while tilting her head a bit and looking down towards his groin area.

Rick’s brow furrowed a little as he glanced down and realized he was holding the bag in front of his groin. He looked back up at her face quickly with an annoyed expression before responding.

“Naw, I’m cool. The twins are making trips.” Rick answered before turning around and sticking his head back into the SUV to gather more bags. “And stop that.”

“Stop what? All I did was offer to help.” Talia answered with a smile.

“You know what. I’m not here for the drama, ok?” Rick answered, annoyed now as he turned around and found her much closer than before.

“So you can handle all the drama with every other girl in school but not me. Hmmm, I wonder why?” Talia asked with a knowing smile.

“You know why! Just drop it, ok?” Rick whispered heatedly while staring into her eyes, his breathing starting to get heavy.

Suddenly the twins appeared on either side of Talia, looking up at Rick curiously before sniffing the air.

“Here take these.” Rick said abruptly, shoving a couple bags each at the twins.

Then he grabbed the last container and closed the back of the SUV, walking off without saying a word and so missing the look on Talia’s face as she stared after him. But Kira saw it though, and frowned as she wondered what that was about. Rick and Talia grew up together, and were constant playmates as kids, close friends. Well, up until about a year or so ago. But Kira always put that down to them finding their own peer groups and being a boy vs girl. But now she wondered if something happened to cause them to drift apart. She made a mental note to talk to her eldest as soon as she could get him alone.

“Hey mama.” Braeden greeted Kira before enveloping her in a hug. “I still can’t believe you got five kids, look at you.” Braeden said, looking down at Kira’s figure while shaking her head.

“Stop reminding me.” Kira responded with a laugh, before looking down at her youngest. “Hey Skye, you gonna stay with me and aunty and grandma in the kitchen?”

Skye scrunched up her face a bit before asking, “Can I cook stuff too?”

“We’ll let you mix the potato salad and cole slaw, how’s that?” Braeden asked with an indulgent smile.

“Okay!” Skye answered excitedly, hopping a little, making her mom and Braeden smile.

“Makes you wanna go back and have another huh?” Kira said to Braeden with a smile.

“Ha ha ha….not on your life! I told that man a long time ago, I got a boy and a girl, I am done!” Braeden answered with humor, causing Kira to laugh out as they headed into the kitchen.

*******

A few hours later the bar-b-que was in full swing, with Scott, Derek and Ken sharing grill duty while the ladies made up side dishes in the kitchen. Cora’s partner Mike coordinated the game of football going on among the older teens and adults while Malia engaged the younger kids in some baseball at the other end of the yard.

“Hey! Is the meat ready? We’re ready in here.” Braeden shouted to her husband from the kitchen door.

“Yeah, we’re good. Send the food out.” Derek replied, before calling for help, “Bran! Go help your mom bring out the food. You too Rick.”

The boys made their way into the kitchen and took some huge containers of food to the backyard and the tables that were set up. The ladies gathered some other items and went outside, before Kira remembered the pineapple salsa.

“Honey I forgot the salsa. Can you go get it for me? In the fridge.” Kira told Rick as she passed on her way to the tables.

“Sure Mom.” Rick replied as he ran back inside to do as his mom asked.

Rick stood looking inside the open fridge a bit confused as there were so many containers. Shaking his head he started checking them one by one, finally locating the salsa on the third try. He snapped the lid back on, closed the door and turned around only to flinch a little as he was once again face to face with Talia. How did she keep sneaking up on him? As a wolf he should be able to smell her or hear a heartbeat or something, he thought with annoyance.

“I’m sorry, did I scare you?” Talia asked sweetly.

“In your dreams female.” Rick scoffed, looking to make his way around her.

Talia stepped into his path, suddenly all serious. “What did I do Rick? Why are you avoiding me?” Talia pleaded.

“I’m not avoiding you T. Just…keeping things in place.” Rick replied while looking anywhere but her face.

“How can you say that when you can’t even stand to look at me.” Talia told him in a small voice.

That made Rick look at her, staring into those big green eyes. “It’s nothing you did or didn’t do. It’s best to just keep my distance ok?”

“But…” Talia tried to argue.

“Let it go Talia.” Rick said curtly before walking around her to head back outside.

Kira watched her son walk back outside with a intimidating scowl on his face, and as she was wondering about that she noticed Talia walk outside moments later, head down. She looked up at Rick briefly before turning away and walking into the woods. What is going on with those two? Kira wondered.

“Rick come help me in the kitchen with something.” Kira called out to her son.

As Kira engaged Rick in assisting with gathering napkins and such, trying to decide how to bring up the subject, when he suddenly stopped and looked at her.

“Mom, how did you know Dad was the one for you?” Rick asked.

Kira froze for a bit before turning to look up at her firstborn, wondering where the hell that came from.

“Um…well, it wasn’t like an instant thing. I don’t think there was a specific moment where I thought yeah, Scott’s The One.” She responded with a laugh. “I mean I was attracted to him from the moment we met, but we were just friends for about year before anything happened. Eventually we were going out and then one day I realized I loved him, that I could not see my life without him.”

“Just like that?” Rick asked skeptically.

“Sometimes love isn’t an instant thing Honey. Sometimes it’s a slow burn, it just sneaks up on you. One day you just know this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, and you feel like you’ve always known.” Kira said, looking at Rick’s flittering expressions.

“Is this about Talia?” Kira ventured a guess.

“What!” Rick almost shouted, before giving a nervous laugh. “Why…what makes you ask that?” He asked, trying to sound casual while wondering if his mother had overheard the exchange with Talia earlier.

Kira chuckled, “You’re my child Derek, I know you. And I’ve seen you being very curt with her today when you are one of the most charming and friendly guys I know.” Kira looked him up and down before stating, “So that’s why, you’ve been trying to keep her away. You have it that bad huh?” Kira asked with a chuckle.

“God Mom! I can’t take it when she’s around. Her eyes, her laugh, her scent! It’s very hard to act like I don’t want her. Do you know what Uncle Derek and Bran would do to me if they even suspected I wanted to get with Talia? They’d kill me!” Rick whispered fiercely to his mother.

That made Kira laugh out. “Oh Honey, do you really think they don’t know you have a thing for Talia?” Kira asked while chuckling softly. “Even your Dad picked up on it. Trust me they know. But they haven’t warned you off or attacked you, so I’d take that as a sign that they’re ok for now.”

“I dunno Mom, it’s not like with the other girls. My every instinct says if I ever get in with her I’ll never get out.” Rick said with a scowl.

“And you think that would be a bad thing?” Kira asked with a smirk, before turning serious. “Hey I think you’re doing the right thing, keeping your distance until you know what you want to do.”

“Really?” Rick responded enthusiastically.

“Really, really. Just don’t be mean to her in order to do it, Ok?’ Kira said with an understanding smile, placing her hand on his cheek.

"Ok. I’ll call her later and explain.”

“Good boy.” Kira praised him before pulling him down for a kiss on the cheek. “Now let’s go eat!”

*******

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the second in the McCall pack future fic series.


End file.
